Injury expert believes Thomas Frank and his coaching staff will not risk rushing Radu Dragusin back into action after a serious knee injury
Radu Dragusin had to be patient for his opportunities at Tottenham Hotspur since arriving from Genoa during the 2024 January transfer window.
Injuries to both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven last season opened up opportunities for the 23-year-old, who made 28 appearances across all competitions before suffering an unfortunate ACL rupture in his right knee against Elfsborg in the Europa League in February. There has been talk that the Romanian international could soon be available for the Lilywhites, given that it has been almost eight months since his injury.
The good news regarding Radu Dragusin is he has started training with the team since the start of the month. The defender has seemingly completed his rehab and is now waiting to make his return to action.
Injury expert says Tottenham won’t rush Radu Dragusin back
Dragusin has been hotly tipped to leave Tottenham next year after finding it difficult to make his mark. He has been on the sidelines for quite some time now and that has halted his progress in north London significantly.
First and foremost, though, the centre-back will be focused on returning to full fitness after a long injury layoff. He has not seen action on the pitch for several months, so the Bucharest-born talent is miles behind his teammates in terms of fitness and match sharpness. Keeping that in mind, Thomas Frank and his coaching staff must be cautious when planning to reintegrate him into the squad.
Now, Dr Rajpal Brar feels Spurs’ physios and officials won’t risk rushing Dragusin back into action after recovering from a serious knee injury.
“Typically, in elite football, the timeframe is around 7-9 months for return to sport after ACL rupture, so Dragusin’s timeframe would be within that typical timeframe,” Dr Rajpal Brar exclusively told Tottenham News.
“Frank, along with the coaching and physio staff, will be very mindful of his minutes and match intensity as this is a major injury that requires a methodical and gradual minutes allocation, particularly on the mental side of things.”
What should be Tottenham’s plans with Dragusin?
It is going to take some time for Dragusin to get back his match fitness and rhythm. He is way down in the defensive pecking order and the player himself is wary of it. The signing of Kota Takai from Kawasaki Frontale in the summer transfer window certainly pushed him even further down the pecking order, and that is unlikely to sit well with the Romanian.
The 23-year-old should not worry, though, as with the Lilywhites competing on all fronts this term, there will be occasions when Frank rotates and gives opportunities for fringe players to showcase their talent. Then, when the chance comes, Dragusin must grab it with both hands and show why he deserves to stay at N17.
If he fails to get minutes after recovering fully from his injury, the towering defender must then seek a loan move away in January.